Ideal for a day-trip: why London bookers should visit Oxford

Located about 60 miles northwest of London, Oxford is definitely somewhere you should consider visiting if you’re planning to book a stay in the UK capital – and fancy taking a day-trip during your time there. Why? Well, as maybe the most famous university city in the world, Oxford is arguably unlike any other, packed full of extraordinary architecture, historic pubs, marvellous museums and even a castle… 

Take a walking tour

How better to make the most of your day-trip than by going on a walking tour of Oxford’s unmissable highlights? Boasting awesome architecture, delightful little shops and exquisite college buildings and churches, Oxford’s simply the ideal place for a walking tour. Among the highlights your tour should really include are Radcliffe Camera, the neo-classical masterpiece that houses Oxford University’s Radcliffe Science Library, and the Bridge of Sighs, which is the beautiful landmark that lies between two parts of the university’s Hertford College. 

Discover the colleges

The oldest – non-continuous – university in the world (indeed, it’s been in use for nearly a millennium now), Oxford University is undoubtedly the city’s greatest claim to fame but those who aren’t in the know may not be aware it’s a collegiate university; that is, it’s actually made up of individual colleges.

Many of the specific buildings housing these colleges are, for sure, absolutely stunning examples of medieval and Renaissance architecture. You’ll find city tours (great for those travelling in from hotels near Paddington Station London) take in differing colleges; indeed, Christ Church is one of the most popular colleges – it was founded way back in the mid-16th Century by the legendary King Henry VIII and has been attended by the likes of King Edward VII, William Gladstone, John Locke, Lewis Carroll and Riz Ahmed. 

The pleasure of punting

Something of an ‘Oxbridge’ cliché it may be, but punting is perennially popular with visitors – and for good reason. It’s an awful lot of leisurely fun. A form of boating (a punt is a flat-bottom boat, propelled through water by the punter pushing a pole down through the water to the river bed and then back up and over again).

In truth, the punting technique tends to take some practice for practically anyone to get the hang of it and, yes, some are inevitably better at it than others. Yet, it always makes for a pleasurable activity for both punters and passengers in the punt – the latter being able to take in the wonderful environment and sights to be seen from the River Cherwell. If you’re staying out of town, especially (say, at accommodation Paddington London), head to Cherwell Boathouse and Magdalen Bridge Boathouse for either a punt on its own or a punt and someone to punt for you, too. 

A perfect panorama

Fancy catching a glimpse of Oxford’s dreaming spires from above, experiencing the city’s glorious panorama as far as the eye can see? Well, ascend the tower of this celebrated church and you’ll give yourself just that opportunity. Standing practically next door to the Radcliffe Camera, its tower, in fact, isn’t just the oldest part of the church that visitors can see for themselves, it actually dates all the way back to the year 1280; adorned, as it is, with gloriously carved gargoyles and grotesques. 

Enjoy the Eagle & Child pub

Calling all book lovers! Oxford is a haven for enthusiasts of all kinds of literature, not least the Middle Earth and ‘Alice’ works, respectively, of JRR Tolkien and the aforementioned Lewis Carroll; both of whom were Oxford graduates of and academics. In particular, fans of their world-renowned stories won’t want to miss visiting the Eagle & Child pub because this was the watering hole favoured as a meeting place by ‘The Inklings’ literary circle of which Tolkien and Carroll were members. The pub lies about 15 minutes on foot from Oxford train station – so, within very easy reach of those enjoying Paddington hotel special offers. 

Have a tipple at Turf Tavern

As an alternative to the Eagle & Child, you might give this watering hole a try. Tucked away down an alley right next to the Bridge of Sighs, its biggest claim for fame – and maybe the biggest reason for including it on your Oxford itinerary – is the fact it’s the city’s oldest pub. Blessed with a brilliant beer garden, it’s often a favourite among university students, as well as even the great and good of global politicians – both Bill Clinton and Bob Hawke, former US and Australian leaders respectively, have famously paid the pub a visit. 

Experience the Ashmolean

A world-famous museum, the Ashmolean is where to head to experience extraordinary examples of art and archaeology, not least unique Egyptian mummy exhibits. Indeed, the building that houses the museum is itself an architectural marvel, dating way back the mid-17th Century Stuart era, while the place’s rooftop restaurant and café is one of the city’s most popular – and salubrious – social venues, serving up delicious dishes of global cuisine and exquisite afternoon teas that are always popular with visitors from throughout the world. 

Pop into Pitt Rivers Museum

Another must-visit for museum lovers has to the be the Pitt Rivers, located about 15 minutes from the centre of the city. Home to supreme collections of anthropological and archaeological exhibits from throughout history and every corner of the world, it’s free to enter; being open every day, Tuesday to Sunday, and closed on Mondays (which gives you ample opportunity to pay it a visit, should you be booking a stay at the likes of The Chilworth hotel London). 

Check out Oxford Castle

Finally, did you know that, among all the other attractions it boasts, Oxford is also blessed with a castle? Yes, it’s true; Oxford Castle has stood on its site for a whole millennium now. That said, the castle’s capability as a fortress had waned by the 14th Century, when it took on duties as a prison and – in fact, following damage to it during the 17th Century Civil War (in which Oxford played an important strategic role) – the castle’s remnants were incorporated into the city’s modern prison right up until 1996. Today, much of it serves as a hotel, while parts of it – St George’s Tower, the crypt and the Motte – are much-visited tourist attractions.